ALEX REID has been released without charge by police after he was arrested over a disturbance involving his girlfriend, former Big Brother star Chantelle Houghton.

The 37-year-old was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and using violence to gain entry to the couple's home in Brentwood, Essex, in the early hours of yesterday.

Houghton, 29, who has an 11-week-old daughter named Dolly with Reid, recently told OK! magazine that her relationship with the former husband of Katie Price has been "strained" and has spoken of how their plans to marry were put on hold.

A statement on Reid's website, posted yesterday, said: "In the early hours of this morning Alex was arrested at the address he shares with his partner, Chantelle Houghton. after she called police following a disturbance.

"The reasons for Alex's arrest have been widely publicised and in some cases inaccurate and based on conjecture.

"Alex considers this a private matter and therefore is not prepared to comment on it save to say that he assisted police with their inquiries and following that, the police have taken no further action."

The couple had been together for six months when they got engaged last October.

Reid, former husband of model Price and himself a winner of Celebrity Big Brother in 2010, is reported to have briefly moved out of the couple's home in recent weeks.

Essex Police said yesterday that they were contacted just before 1.30am with reports of a disturbance at a property in Spital Lane, Brentwood.

A spokeswoman today confirmed that no action would be taken against Reid.